Other than Europe, I think I've only ever traveled by train in Sri Lanka.

If you've ever seen one those overcrowded Indian trains, it was exactly like that.

I don't have my own photo of it but it looked something like this. These trains are out of this world I tell you!

{this photo is via boston.com -- some stunning photography on that site if you're interested}

Come to think of it, I don't have all that many photos of Sri Lanka, or of my travels in general. Of course I have a few, but I didn't have a blog back then and wasn't trying to preserve the moment. Probably because I've never really traveled as a tourist, it was just the way of life for me -- living in the moment rather than observing it.

I guess, to me that actually answers the question of what the difference is between a traveler and a tourist. A tourist is someone taking a break from their regular life. For a traveler the road is their regular life (at the time anyway), they have business to do, meetings to attend, or something along those lines. Plus, in my case, having family on three continents does make the globe feel like my backyard at times. I wouldn't have it any other way though.

All this travel talk is starting to revive some serious Asia withdrawal symptoms here.

I'd better stop this post before I do something stupid and book Geoff and I on the red eye to Colombo...

Indisputable evidence of me desperately needing a haircut. Bangs, highlights, layers, everything. I haven't been to the beautician in well over a year and let me tell you, not only are my roots starting to look gross, I can't even tell where my part is supposed to be or whether I still have bangs.

Off the top of my head, the only one time I remember having gone this long without any beautician intervention was after months and months of back-and-forthing between India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia [ah those were the days], on a rather crazy schedule. Then suddenly back on American soil [LAX], a 24-hour layover and a rental car later I gave the beautician the "everything dead goes" instruction and voila, walked out of the salon looking like a million bucks. Breakfast in Beverly Hills, a cruise through downtown LA, a night sandwiched between the crisp sheets of the Hilton complete with room service and a bubble bath, then a connecting flight back home for a couple of months before taking off for Asia again.

I don't think I've ever seen a bedroom I loved more than I love this one. To me it's perfection. I can't decide which I love more, the glass walls that make you feel like you live above the trees or the complete lack of fanciness. And don't even get me started on that ceiling...

Today was one of those early-rising days when by 3 in the afternoon your eyelids feel like they are made of lead.

God bless the New Orleans brew.

A great day though, complete with Geoff looking smashingly handsome in his brand new suit, Janis Joplin belting out Bobby McGee in my car, falafels, lemon tea and getting lots and lots done.Funny, isn't it, how buckling down, getting things done is the best antidote for bad-hair days.

And the tiredness resulting from hard work? One of my favorite sensations in the world.

The good news is we are about to witness a beautiful sunset over the lake here, and if I tune out the Christmas snow flakes I have yet to scrape off of the kitchen windows a mere three months after Christmas, then our kitchen looks so other-worldly at this hour.

Pretty, right? I know those cloudy, multi-colored sunsets tend to be everyone's favorite, but I love these clear-sky sunsets too. Late afternoons are my absolute favorite part of the day. Sometimes when people look at me all bewildered about what on earth I could possibly love so much about those troubled countries I am so fond of, I always think of the evening prayers leaking through my window in Pakistan, the dusty sunsets in the middle of nowhere in Africa or the humid, sticky Sri Lankan evenings on the veranda of the Galle Face Hotel... nothing I will ever be able to explain.

Have a wonderful evening everyone -- I know I will.

Until next time.

Agnes

p/s: Does anyone know the proper word for for the decade following the 90s? (i.e. years 2000-2009). How about the decade after that (the one we are in now)? Is it called "the teens"?

I find the abandoned aspect of winter so calming. Or maybe it's just me, maybe the absence of crowds and noise just suits my mood, who knows. It sure soothes my soul.

When Geoff and I bought this place we didn't really shop around, just wanted a place for between travels. In fact I stumbled onto it on the internet on a completely disrelated search -- was sold on the spot.

I don't take long to decide on something. It's got something to do with infinitely trusting my own decisions plus most things just aren't important enough to be overcomplicated. I am telling you, if I ever get captured in a war or something, I won't need physical torture to confess to anything: just lock me in the same cell with someone who scrutinizes every petty thing, and I'll talk... it doesn't even have to be an insurance salesman. Or if you want me to confess faster, just tie me to a chair and play gangsta-rap and I'll confess to anything...

Anyway, what was I talking about? Yes, that we do actually have a pretty nice view, because our place turned out to be lake front. Or more like, pond-front {"pond-front" would make a good word too}.

We've got an overall organic feel, I think.

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We seem to gravitate towards natural wood and bamboo.

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I swear half of the stuff we own we bought while traveling.

Thai teapot, Malaysian tray, Indian tea.

Sri Lankan pillow -- I love this pillow.

Thai and Malaysian pillow covers. The front one is made of sandalwood (seriously) and it smells so good!

My tea box from Malaysia. This is mainly for guests, I tend to lean towards loose tea.

It's raining cats and dogs outside which renders me housebound and that usually yields a longwinded post that's neither here nor there. But it's kind of fun to peek into someone's house, {in a non-creepy of way}, right?

Hope you enjoyed the tour, if you did, I might post more house interior pictures.